One of the most popular sports throughout the world is golf Especially in recent years, golf has become a sport that is watched and played by many different types of people, including children and adults. As a result of this popularity there has been an increased interest in, and the production of golf equipment and accessories. As golf has become more popular, sporting goods manufacturers have attempted to provide a wide variety of golf clubs, golf apparel such as shoes, golf bags and other items. Some companies have also tried to provide golfers with devices or accessories that will improve the golfer's ability. These items vary from those that improve the way a golfer swings a golf club to those that promise to improve the accuracy of a golf ball that is hit.
While certain items have proven to be useful and do in fact live up to their improvement goals, many items have not been effective. One of the most difficult elements of playing golf is the golfer's ability to accurately line up and sight a golf ball's trajectory before hitting the ball. The angle at which the ball is struck is important, and improvements such as golf clubs with specialized head angles have proven to be effective at addressing this aspect. Unfortunately, the strike angle is only part of the problem. A golfer must also be able to visually determine the trajectory that the ball will travel after it is struck. There have been attempts to utilize laser sighting devices to determine a golf ball's trajectory, but these devices are often complicated and expensive. Additionally, many golfer's feel a laser sighting device detracts from the game of golf by providing an unfair technological advantage.
If there was some way of providing a simple-to-use, accurate and non-obtrusive means of determining a golf ball's trajectory the benefits would be significant.
A search of the prior art did not disclose literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related.
PAT. NO.INVENTORISSUED6,721,962B1Plaire20 Apr. 20044,896,375Colucci30 Jan. 19903,812,593Wydro28 May 1974
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,962 patent discloses a lighted hat that provides illumination for the user while maintaining the appearance of a conventional cap visor. The lighted cap has a head-engaging portion, a brim attached to the front of the head-engaging portion and a headband that is connected to the lower inside rim of the head-engaging portion. A low profile light is incorporated into the brim of the hat where it is concealed within the brim.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,375 patent discloses a golf cap having a headband and an elongated visor. The visor includes at least one marker which is plainly visible to the wearer. The visor is longer than the usual golf cap visor, and is sufficiently long so that the lower edge is below eye level when the wearer has positioned the hat on their head. The marker is in the form of a longitudinally extending line along the centerline of the visor. The golfer wearing the hat views the golf ball so that the longitudinal line is aligned with the ball and perpendicular to the proposed line of flight.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,593 patent discloses a golfer's green reader made up of an elastic head band, a visor attached to the head band and a spirit level attached to the front of the visor. On the lower side thereof, the level is disposed adjacent the front of the visor so that the user can view the level and thereby estimate the topography of the terrain of a golf green.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following remaining patents found in the search:
PAT. NO.INVENTORISSUED3,437,339Starck8 Apr. 19693,178,187Cardwell13 Apr. 19653,156,211Mallory, Jr.10 Nov. 19641,459,705Bullock19 Jun. 1923